The Palestine Chronology

A Hamas fighter dies in a tunnel accident nr. Khan Yunis. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on a Palestinian fishing boat nr. Bayt Lahiya, causing no injuries. They also arrest 2 of the fishermen and confiscate their boat. In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest 6 Palestinians during late-night raids nr. Bethlehem, Hebron, and Jenin, and patrol during the day nr. Salfit, Hebron, and Qalqilya. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 7 Palestinians and issue 4 arrest summons during raids in Issawiyya, Sur al-Bahir, Shu‘fat r. c., Issawiyya, and Silwan. (MNA, MNA, WAFA 12/4; PCHR 12/8)

Israeli PM Netanyahu and DM Lieberman permit the transfer of 5 armored vehicles from Jordan to the PA because of the deteriorating security situation in the oPt, particularly in Nablus, according to an Israeli spokesperson. The PA has been requesting approval for such transfers for at least 4 years. (MNA, TOI 12/7)

After mos. of negotiations and intracoalition struggle, Netanyahu resolves several conflicts over the illegal Amona settlement outpost. First, he secures Atty. Gen. Avichai Mandelblit’s approval for the govt.’s plan to relocate the 40-odd families from Amona to a nearby plot of “abandoned” land. Second, he announces plans to petition the High Court of Justice for a 30-day delay of its evacuation and demolition order to give his govt. time to prepare temporary alternate housing for Amona’s residents. Third, he brokers a deal with Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon and Education Minister Naftali Bennett on the so-called regulations bill, which Bennett is backing in order to retroactively authorize the illegal West Bank settlement outposts, including Amona. Netanyahu and Kahlon agree to reverse their positions and support the bill as long as Clause 7, the provision that specifically addresses Amona, is removed. (HA, JP, TOI, YA 12/4; HA, JP, YA 12/5)

Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats and arrest 2 fishermen nr. Bayt Lahiya. In Gaza, armed assailants assault and temporarily kidnap a Fatah official working to coordinate the municipal elections on 10/8 nr. Khan Yunis. In the West Bank, Israeli forces demolish 6 residential structures and 2 barns in a village in the E1 area nr. Jerusalem, and confiscate heavy machinery Palestinians are using to repair a road nr. Hebron. IDF troops conduct raids and house searches in 1 village each nr. Nablus, Salfit, and Hebron, arresting 5 Palestinians. (MNA, WAFA 8/29; PCHR 9/1)

Responding to reports about Russian efforts to host a peace summit on 8/28, PA pres. Abbas’s office releases a statement reaffirming that Abbas is willing to take part in any peace initiative aimed at a “comprehensive and fair solution.” A Russian spokesperson says that there is “nothing concrete” yet. (TOI 8/29)

IDF troops shoot and kill a Palestinian nr. Ramallah after he and other youths throw stones and Molotov cocktails at Israeli settlers in the area, lightly injuring 3 settlers (4 of the other Palestinian youths are injured). Some witnesses say there was no stone throwing and that the youths were just walking home. The PA describes the killing as “extrajudicial.” Elsewhere in the West Bank, Israeli forces carry out the punitive demolition of the Qalqilya-area home of a Palestinian who was killed on 3/8 after he attacked a group of Israelis and U.S. tourists (see JPS 45 [4]). They also deliver stop-work orders to several Palestinian homes under construction nr. Bethlehem. IDF troops arrest 16 Palestinians and destroy part of a home during late-night raids and house searches in and around Hebron, Ramallah, Qalqilya, Nablus, Bethlehem, Tubas, and Tulkarm. Off Gaza’s coast, Israeli naval forces open fire on Palestinian fishing boats nr. Khan Yunis, causing no damage or injuries. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 8 Palestinians during raids in Sur al-Bahir, Issawiyya, and Abu Dis. (BBC, HA, JP, MNA, WAFA, YA 6/21; PCHR 6/23)

The PA cabinet decides to hold municipal elections on 10/8, though it is unclear whether this round of elections will include both Gaza and the West Bank. Hamas boycotted the last round of municipal elections in 2012, so no ballots were cast in Gaza (see JPS 42 [2]). (MNA 6/21)

To facilitate travel to and from Gaza for Ramadan, the Egyptian authorities open the Rafah border crossing to traffic from both directions for the first of 4 planned days this week. Elsewhere along Gaza’s border, Israeli forces conduct limited incursions to level land nr. Khan Yunis and Dayr al-Balah, and arrest a Palestinian armed with a knife attempting to cross the border into Israel. In the West Bank, IDF troops arrest 7 Palestinians during late-night raids and house searches in Hebron and nr. Jenin and Tulkarm. (MNA, TOI, WAFA 6/1; PCHR 6/2; OCHA, PCHR 6/9)

A PA spokesperson criticizes Israeli PM Netanyahu’s 5/30 pledge of support for the Arab Peace Initiative, saying “the Israeli statements regarding the 2-state solution and the Arab Peace Initiative must be accompanied by actions on the ground and recognition [of] an independent Palestinian state.” (HA, JP, TOI 6/1)

Along Gaza’s border, Israeli forces conduct a limited incursion to level land nr. Khan Yunis. Early in the morning in the West Bank, Israeli forces demolish 3 Palestinian homes under construction in a village nr. Bethlehem and a playground in a village nr. Nablus. They also reopen a road e. of Hebron that they closed on 3/14, following a formal request from the PA. IDF troops patrol in a village nr. Ramallah, sparking clashes with stonethrowing Palestinians; 2 Palestinians are arrested and there are no serious injuries. They conduct further raids and house searches nr. Nablus, Jericho, and in Tulkarm, arresting 4 Palestinians; patrol nr. Qalqilya, Jericho, Ramallah, and Hebron. In East Jerusalem, the Jerusalem Municipality prepares to demolish a Palestinian home in Wadi al-Juz, but Israeli PM Netanyahu’s office intervenes, canceling the demolition to avoid increasing tensions in the city ahead of Passover. Meanwhile, the extreme messianic group Temple Institute says that it conducted a secret Jewish wedding at Haram al-Sharif, violating the ban on Jewish religious ceremonies at the sanctuary. (MNA, WAFA 4/12; MNA, TOI, YA 4/13; PCHR 4/14)

COGAT announces that the Israeli govt. has given approval, in principle, to a Palestinian request to build a power plant nr. Jenin. (YA, 4/12; MNA, YA 4/13)

A U.S. State Dept. spokesperson says that the U.S. opposes a UNSC res. censuring Israel’s settlements, such as the one the Palestinian leadership is currently circulating. He adds, “I can firmly shut the door,” ending all speculation about U.S. support for the effort. (USSD 4/12; JP 4/13)

For the 3d day in a row, IDF troops shoot and kill a young Palestinian man after he allegedly draws a knife on them while being temporarily detained. After the incident, Israeli forces close down several roads in the area. Separately, IDF troops conduct raids nr. Jenin and Bethlehem, sparking clashes with stone-throwing youths and confiscating 1 vehicle (2 Palestinians are injured). IDF troops conduct further house searches and raids in 2 villages nr. Hebron, arresting 2 Palestinians and issuing arrest summons to 2; patrol nr. Ramallah, Salfit, and Hebron. Late at night, unidentified assailants set fire and cause damage to a Palestinian home in Duma village nr. Nablus, where Israeli settlers killed 3 Palestinians in a similar attack on 7/30/2015. A PA official later confirms that the owner of the home was the only witness of the 7/30 attack. Elsewhere, IDF troops stationed along Gaza’s border open fire on Palestinian shepherds and farmers working nr. Khan Yunis; there are no injuries. (HA, JP, MNA, TOI, WAFA 3/19; HA, MNA, WAFA, YA 3/20; PCHR 3/24)